The 10 Best Programs to Write and Edit Your Books

Writers tend to put a lot of thought into their tools, whether they’re dainty pens or old-fashioned typewriters. However, more and more will talk about their software. Even the fanciest literary event can soon turn into a fistfight between fans of Scrivener and Ulysses.

Microsoft Word is the default tool for many writers and authors, but an Office 365 subscription costs £59.99/US$69.99/AU$89 per year for one user – quite expensive if you only need the word processing element.

There is often a better option for those of us starving in our attics: free software. Join us to discover the best free applications to turn your writing talent into something tangible.

1. FocusWriter

Available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, FocusWriter is designed to eliminate distractions so you can get on with the work of writing. It does this by letting you hide other apps, customize the way text appears on the screen, and track your progress. If you’re feeling especially old-fashioned, you can even add typewriter sound effects.

FocusWriter isn’t for everyone – it’s not the right tool for re-checking and editing your work – but it’s a lovely little app with a very modest footprint that keeps you from being on Twitter all day.

2. WriteMonkey

We’re big fans of Markdown, the text editing language that lets you format, annotate, sort, and link as you type with the minimum of fuss, and the great WriteMonkey makes good use of it.

This freeware offers an incredibly stripped-down user interface that is considerably more powerful than it looks. There’s an excellent layout, automatic syntax highlighting and file organization, and while the price reduction takes a bit of getting used to, you’ll be glad you put in the effort.

3. LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice is a free and open-source alternative to Microsoft Office, and that means its word processing application, Writer, has many of the powerful features of Word without the price tag that comes with it.

One of its most useful features is the LibreOffice Template Center, where you will find templates for all types of content.

4. Scribus

If the appearance of your words is as important as their meaning, give Scribus a try: it’s a free, high-quality desktop publishing application for Linux, OS X, and Windows that’s suitable for producing entire magazines.

It’s been around – and is regularly updated – since 2001, and while it’s a bit difficult to use at first, it offers professional-quality publishing with multi-page layered documents and good color management support. If you’ve ever used Adobe InDesign, you’ll find the similarity surprising. If you can use one, you’ll pick up the other in seconds.

5. Freemind

Here’s another app for writers that isn’t strictly for putting your words on the screen: Freemind is all about mind mapping, letting you record all the leaps and bounds your imagination makes, whether you’re mapping out a caldera or trying to organize complex threads of an investigation.

Freemind isn’t something we’d necessarily recommend for mind mapping beginners – it’s a bit like a desktop publishing app with some kind of glitch – but if you’re a seasoned intellectual explorer it’s much neater than a wall full of index cards and sticky notes.

6. Google Docs

Basically, Google Docs is a stripped-down version of Word that you can only use online. It is a simple but effective writing tool.

The beauty of this program (and of Google Drive in general) lies in the possibility of sharing content, files and documents among your work team.

This program keeps a complete history of all changes made to a document, so if you accidentally delete something you wanted to keep, just click the link at the top of the screen that says, “All Changes Saved to Drive”. This will show you the version history, where you can review all the changes that have been made to your book file and go back to a previous version if you wish.

Plus, you can access your work on the go, without having to carry a laptop or USB thumb drive with you. When you share a book draft with others, such as proofreaders or your editor, they can comment directly on the draft using the built-in commenting functionality.

7. FastPencil

FastPencil is a nice platform with many tools. You can also use it to distribute your ebook. You are free to start writing, but they also offer paid services.

Everything happens online in your browser, which means you can access your files from any computer (as long as you’re connected to the Internet).

8. yWriter

yWriter is a very popular word processor (mainly intended for novelists) with some impressive features (especially for a program that is completely free).

It helps keep your project organized by giving you space to include notes on all sorts of things, like character notes, scene notes, scene goals, etc. You can specify the point of view in which each scene will be written, and you can see the word count of your entire novel broken down by chapter, all at a quick glance.

One thing yWriter does differently from many other writing programs is to focus on scenes rather than chapters. Many writers prefer this, as cutscenes are often fun bits of the story to work with. And using yWriter, you can rearrange all those scenes to compose and proofread the compelling Novel .

I would call it a Scrivener alternative that is free. But one drawback is that it only works for Windows (at least for now).

9. Evernote

Evernote is a note-taking app. It’s a great way to keep track of your thoughts, like brainstorming, outlining chapters, and jotting down inspiration when it strikes.

The mobile app is particularly useful for capturing new ideas when they strike, as most people have their phone with them 24/7.

While you can use Evernote to write content – I’ve used it to write blogs and other small sections of books – you wouldn’t want to use it as your primary word processor. Its functionality is a bit limited.

But as a way to keep track of ideas, it’s a great find.

10. Hemingway Editor

The Hemingway Editor is a unique writing tool. It is a proofreader that is designed to help fine-tune your prose and make your writing clear and bold.

Simply paste what you write into the editor and scroll through it. You’ll notice that the program highlights certain words and passages, such as long, hard-to-read sentences, passive verbs, and phrases with simpler alternatives.

It’s basically your own personal editor built into writing software.

What I love about this tool is how easy it is to use. Everything is color-coded and super easy to understand, so you can see at a glance where your writing could use a little help.

Summary

There are a lot of great programs out there that can help you write and edit your books. The article goes into detail about ten of the best, including things like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Scribus, and more. Each program has its own set of features that can be helpful for writers, so it’s important to choose one that will fit your needs. For example, some programs have more powerful editing tools than others. And some programs are better suited for specific genres or writing styles.

Overall, the article is a great resource for writers who are looking for a new program to help them with their writing. It’s packed with useful information and it’s definitely worth a read.